THE British-built Toyota Avensis is the company's European flagship model and continues to lead the brand and seriously challenge any rivals.

The estate Tourer is slightly less popular in the UK than its saloon stablemate, taking 42% of registraions, but all share the usual four trim levels of T2, TR, T4 and T Spirit.

The most popular is the TR which comes with rear privacy glass, satellite navigation and Bluetooth connectivity among its features, so its ideal for the business user.

This model was the range topping T Spirit which holds an exclusive 5.5% of sales and its additional equipment includes heated electric front seats, huge Panoramic roof and rear parking sensors, but it was also fitted with the £1,480 optional safety pack comprising adaptive cruise, lane assist and departure warning.

Choosing the Tourer means the luggage capacity rises from 543 litres with the back seats used to 1,609 litres as a two-seater and its towing limit is 1,600kg.

The Tourer design gives a low deck and high opening fifth door, well-shaped and flat loadbed with tie-down eyelets.

The standard parking sensors are useful but hardly necessary on the Avensis Tourer because rear visibility is good. There is also an immense panoramic roof which extends form the header rail for about three-quarters of the roof.

With efficient wipers, very bright long range lights and fog lamps, as well as big windows and electric mirrors, the Avensis Tourer is well suited for any weather conditions or situations.

The powertrain uses the familiar, proven 148bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine and it is the first Toyota diesel to utilise the very smooth, responsive and quiet six-speed automatic transmission, which brings even higher levels of refinement.

Fuel consumption worked out at a reasonable 40mpg, slightly below the official 43.5mpg figure, but it did so remarkably easily despite a lot of urban driving.

The engine is a good starter, pulls well within seconds of moving off and always seemed to have something in reserve for overtaking. Motorway cruising was effortless and quiet.

I liked the steering feel and agility it gave the car, its lack of vibration or kick-back, and for me the power assistance felt just right with little vagueness apparent.

The brakes, including the electronic parking system, worked well with a good pressure underfoot and pleasant progressive action to slow it.

Secondary controls grouped close to the electrically adjusted wheel were well laid out, some buttons were hidden behind the spokes and rim when you looked for them but the straightforward instruments were large and clear and backed up by warning lights.

Heating and ventilation was very simple and effective, the oddments provision generous in an estate, the in-car entertainment included aux-in facility while the T Spirit specification has a very comprehensive touch screen navigation system.

Toyota has gone to town on occupant protection with front, side, curtain and driver's knee airbags and the reassurance of the optional pre-crash safety system seems money well spent for a family or high mileage user.

The Toyota Avensis Tourer is easy to access, very roomy throughout with good front seats adjustment and comfortable for all users. Ride quality is extremely good over any surface even if you sometimes hear it absorbing bad bumps.

It is not a sporting estate like some rivals would like to make out they are, but it not only goes well but also handles with confidence and composure and never showed any vices.

With the introduction of the new six-speed automatic to this capable and composed diesel it adds still further to the Avensis reputation for refinement and ease of driving, and let's not forget it's a British built model which is sold abroad and a worthy example of UK engineering at its best.